Birth of a Pipe Band

[piperdown]

Put me down for a shirt as well.....

[EagleJCS]

Very cool.

Best of luck! It's been my experience in my 8 years with the Louisville Pipe Band that roughly half of the new adult piping students will drop out within the first 5 weeks. (The band offers free lessons to anyone wanting to learn. The only fee is for the practice chanter and instruction book.) Adults just have a lot going on in their lives, and sticking to a practice routine is difficult if they're not committed to learning. We've had 8-week beginners classes that start with 20 people finish the course with just 3. Of those, 2 went on to get a set of pipes and learn to blow a tune on them. One stayed on to join the band.

For those that are really serious about wanting to learn, I would suggest finding private tuition in addition to whatever group lessons take place. Laying out a modest fee for instruction tends to improve the retention rate, plus you get personal, immediate feedback from your instructor.

Again, best of luck!

[Freelancer]

Sounds like a real tall order to pull off. Best of luck getting it done. Been marching with a pipe band for 2 years. Great fun and definitely worth the effort.

[ohiopiper]

My little bit of advice will only address two topics.

First, everyone needs to have some skin in the game. This will weed out the non-starters from the get-go. No point in wasting time and resources on someone who isn't committed. I suggest dues. Your band will have some pretty steep expenses right out of the gate, so cash on hand to fund these will be appreciated by all when it comes time for uniforms, chanters, reeds, etc.

Secondly, assemble a command structure as soon as possible. Band politics can make democrats and republicans look like rank amateurs when it comes to in-fighting. The PM should be viewed as a god walking among men, due to his/her experience. Trust him or her to place people in leadership roles that are capable. I'd hate to hear of this grand venture being stillborn because of ego and personality isues. An established band can take a little tempest and survive. A fledgling band, not so much.

[Streetcar]

Ohiopiper -
Good advice, thanks!
They man who got the ball rolling on this has been in close touch with Boston P.D. pipes and drums, and they are mentoring us through this process. Additionally, our bagpipe instructor helped form a couple local pipe bands so I'm sure we'll be leaning heavily on both those resources out of the gate.

There was a Seattle Area Police Pipe Band quite a few years ago. From what I'm told, it fell apart for many of the same type of politics that you mention.

I do expect an attrition rate on this, but hopefully with such a large initial turn out, we will still have a decent size group once they fence-sitters drift off.

[The Barry]

Secondly, assemble a command structure as soon as possible. Band politics can make democrats and republicans look like rank amateurs when it comes to in-fighting. The PM should be viewed as a god walking among men, due to his/her experience. Trust him or her to place people in leadership roles that are capable. I'd hate to hear of this grand venture being stillborn because of ego and personality isues. An established band can take a little tempest and survive. A fledgling band, not so much.

Excellent points!

[piperdown]

My little bit of advice will only address two topics.

First, everyone needs to have some skin in the game. This will weed out the non-starters from the get-go. No point in wasting time and resources on someone who isn't committed. I suggest dues. Your band will have some pretty steep expenses right out of the gate, so cash on hand to fund these will be appreciated by all when it comes time for uniforms, chanters, reeds, etc.

Secondly, assemble a command structure as soon as possible. Band politics can make democrats and republicans look like rank amateurs when it comes to in-fighting. The PM should be viewed as a god walking among men, due to his/her experience. Trust him or her to place people in leadership roles that are capable. I'd hate to hear of this grand venture being stillborn because of ego and personality isues. An established band can take a little tempest and survive. A fledgling band, not so much.

The PM in our band is viewed as the almighty himself and should be.
Reminds me of the old adage;

To err is human,
to forgive divine

Pipe Majors do neither......

Good luck to your group!!

[The Barry]

Kyle, strange and macabre question: Who currently pipes for police functions, such as funerals? Do you guys have your own piper(s), or perhaps someone from Seattle Fire P&D?

[Streetcar]

Kyle, strange and macabre question: Who currently pipes for police functions, such as funerals? Do you guys have your own piper(s), or perhaps someone from Seattle Fire P&D?

Seattle Fire Pipes and Drums has fulfilled that honor, and quite admirably. They led the body of Officer Brenton last year, and while we are deeply grateful to Seattle Fire for what they've done, many officers felt that we should really be leading the way for our own fallen. That was the impetuous to form this band. Officer Gallagher is the one who actually got past the "we should" stage to the "I will" stage and is the driving force behind this.

I'm very excited at the prospect and I'm hoping there are enough like-minded officers and detectives to help shepard the group through it's infancy.

[cessna152towser]

Guid oan ya!
Wishing the new band every success.